


Ink and a Promise

by Sorcie



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Angst, Assassin Cassian, Collateral Damage Jyn, F/M, Mob Boss Draven, Murder, On the Run, Police, Witness Protection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-31 09:12:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12678849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorcie/pseuds/Sorcie
Summary: When they ink her name into his skin it is a threat: not just to him but to her.  Cassian Andor will find you no matter where you run, no matter who you pretend to be, no matter what name you pass off as your own, because Cassian owes the Boss Draven big time, and this will be the only way to clear his debts (because the only person who owes Boss Draven more is Jyn Erso).But finding your mark is different from hitting your mark, and when you’re tasked with killing someone and end up falling in love with them instead, that only spells trouble. That only spells life on the run.When she runs her fingers across his skin, tracing her name with just the lightest scratch of her nail, it is a promise: not just from her to him but him from her. Whatever I do, I do to protect you.  And they will do that, protect each other, whatever it takes.(Synopsis courtesy of OperaticSpaceTrash)





	1. Wrong Place, Wrong Time

**Author's Note:**

> ***UPDATE: 11/06/18***  
> I posted this story a year ago and lost my mojo with it. I've since re-written the things I was not happy with and will continue it. Thanks for sticking with me if you are still out there!
> 
> This story was inspired by this art manip by the amazing Runakvaed on Tumblr.  
> http://runakvaed.tumblr.com/image/163596763073
> 
> OperaticSpaceTrash gave me permission to write this story using her synopsis. We miss you!!!
> 
> Yeah, it's a very indulgent piece. This is dedicated to all of the RebelCaptain fans out there in fear of this ship sailing. Long Live Rogue One!

 

                                       

When they inked her name into his skin, it was a threat; not just to him, but to her. Cassian Andor will find you no matter where you run, no matter who you pretend to be, no matter what name you pass off as your own, because Cassian owed the Boss Draven big time, and this would be the only way to clear his debts.

 

Cassian was used to the process. His self-loathing had started before this when he made his first kill. When he became an assassin for Draven, he knew they would mark his body with every sin he would commit in service to this man. He didn’t get to choose where they put each tattoo.

 

While the tattoo artist inked Jyn’s name above his heart, Cassian drank Mezcal and thought about what he would do after this, his last job for Draven. When they chose to place this one over his heart, he should have known this kill would be hard.

 

***

 

She sat on the sand and contemplated the ocean. The sky was clear; the sun was hot, and the water was perfect. Today was just the diversion she needed after the ordeal she went through. Everyone and everything in her life was gone, or at least she had to view it that way. But she was alive, and that was something. So, in the interest of a fresh start, Jyn took the first day in her new surroundings to enjoy the sand and surf on the Jersey Shore. 

  The beach was full of families and young people all enjoying what the shore offered. Although this wasn’t the BEST place to surf, there were a few people with full size surfboards trying to catch a wave, pre-pubescent teenagers with boogie boards, little children clinging to their parents for dear life and teenagers splashing and dunking each other in the dance of the raging hormones.

 

Part of her was a little melancholy over being alone, but again, this was something she had to get used to.

 

Jyn dove into the surf to get the shock of the cold Atlantic water over with. She swam out beyond the loud ocean bathers, past the breaking waves so she could do a few laps on the smooth water. There were a few others out there with her, so she didn’t feel like she was in jeopardy of drowning or being swept out to sea.                                                                                                                                                                                            

 With every breast stroke, she thought about everything that transpired over the past week. Her life had been turned upside down by only one moment of bad timing…

 

***

 

One Week Ago:

Jyn sat in the dressing room covered by her robe while she touched up her lipstick. Ryan was in the studio, just steps away, setting up the last of his lighting equipment. The entrance to the building was in-between the dressing room and his studio.

 

Ryan had his back to the door and thought he heard Jyn entering. He turned around to greet her but found himself greeted instead by a man with a gun. Before Ryan could react, two shots fired, one bullet went to his heart and the other to his head. He hit the floor, his dead eyes staring in Jyn’s direction. She silenced her gasp and backed away back into the dressing room fearing the killer would discover her.

 

In shock from the ordeal, she hid in the closet for a good 15 minutes before she reached for her phone to call the police. What seemed like an eternity was only 10 minutes when the police arrived.

 

***

 

Hours after the murder, Jyn sat in a police interrogation room. Her perfect make up - smudged and dark around her eyes. She shared what she saw with three different police officers. No one would tell her what was going on. Had they caught the guy? Did they have any idea why someone would want to kill Ryan? What would happen to her? She knew they were keeping her in the dark about something.

 

Shara Bey, the last officer she spoke to, entered the room. “Miss Erso, I’m truly sorry for all you have been through today. I’m sure you’re scared, tired and just want all of this to be over.”

 

Jyn sighed and shifted in her seat, “that’s an understatement.”

 

“We have safe accommodations for you for the night. We’ll discuss further details with you on the way. Can you please come with me?”

 

“I’m not going anywhere until I know what’s going on! I’ve been locked up here like a criminal for hours! I mean no disrespect Officer Bey, but I’m running a little short on trust at the moment.”

 

Shara nodded and stepped closer to Jyn. Her eyes looked up at the stationary camera in the corner of the room and then down to the microphone on the table and then bacto Jyn. “Miss Erso, as I said, I’m truly sorry for your ordeal. You are a witness to an unsolved murder and we don’t know if the responsible party knows of your existence. There is no place safe in this building or anywhere else. For your own sake, please let me escort you to a safe place for the night.”

 

Jyn nodded as if she understood what Shara was not saying. She swallowed and raised her shaky hand to brush her messy hair behind her ear. “Well when you put it that way, I guess I have no choice but to trust you.”

 

“Good, follow me please.” Shara opened the door and lead Jyn by the arm down toward the emergency exit just down the hall. It was marked ‘Emergency Exit Only’. Jyn thought this was odd but decided to trust Detective Bey. Just outside the door was a car and Shara’s partner. He opened the back door to the unmarked car and guided Jyn in, followed by Shara, and closed the door. It was evening now, and the darkness of night allowed them safe cover.

 

He drove down the alley slowly to the main road, then they blended in with the rest of the traffic. When they were certain they weren’t being followed, he spoke, “Miss Erso, I’m Detective Dameron. I’m sorry for the cloak and dagger but we’ve just learned that Ryan Morrison’s murder was ordered by Mob Boss Davits Draven. He has connections everywhere in the city including the Police Department. We are not sure who in our department is leaking information yet, but we are certain he must know of your existence by now. His first move will be to eliminate you, like he did Mr. Morrison, and ask questions later. We couldn’t risk saying anything to you about this in the precinct or even walk you past the main bull pen. We don’t know how deep he’s infiltrated the force, but Shara and I know we can trust each other so we decided to get you someplace safe before we went any further with the investigation.”

 

“What makes you think you can protect me, or that I will cooperate with you?” Jyn asked.

 

Kes and Shara exchanged a look. “We don’t. But you’ve trusted us this far, what choice do you have now? Do you think you can survive without help?”

 

“You’ve made a good point. OK, what have you got in mind?”

 

***

 

Cassian sat in his apartment with an icepack on his fresh tattoo. He held the crisp manila envelope in his hand containing the information on his last kill. He broke the seal and looked at the color photos contained inside. Her appearance was not what he expected. She looked like what he would call an innocent; some unfortunate soul who was about to become the collateral damage of a dark scheme they did not know of.

 

She was a beautiful young woman posing in very tasteful ladies under garments. These were not pinup photos, more like ads in a fashion magazine.

 

Reading the dossier, he learned she was an unexpected element who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The killer had been sloppy. Draven had contacts in the police department and it was only because of that they knew about Miss Erso’s existence. Shoddy work, he thought.

 

He didn’t like these types of jobs. Cassian knew he had a dark soul, but it wasn’t dark enough to enjoy extinguishing the light out of people, women in particular, who did not do business with his boss. Draven knew his feelings about this, but he was desperate. No matter where you run or who you pretend to be, Cassian Andor will find you. Draven needed that guarantee.

 

The final notation in the file was that Miss Erso had disappeared from the Police Station, along with the two Detectives who were investigating the case. Cassian was certain they knew about the leak; shoddy work by Draven’s mole too, he thought.

 

He was glad this was his last job. However, there was something about this girl, something in her eyes, that would make it hard for him to follow through with it. Damn, he hated these jobs.


	2. Picking up a couple of Guardians

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jyn gets a surprise bonk on the head. And an unexpected entourage.

Jyn floated on her back and let the tide take her toward the shore. Floating allowed her to relax for the first time. Her bliss came to an abrupt end when her head crashed into a surfboard. It startled her; she brought her feet down enough that the undertow pulled her under with the next wave. She found herself thrown about in a whirlwind and everything went black.

 

Sound slowly faded in, almost as if someone turned on a stereo and hit a fade in button. She heard the ocean waves and people talking; “Miss? Miss? Can you hear me?”

 

Jyn felt something on her lips, air coming in, but something blocking her lungs from receiving it.

Everything was black, rhythmic pressure on her chest, she could almost make out the song that matched it. Soft lips returned, then the rhythm.

“Come on! Come on!”

She slowly opened her eyes and turned over onto her side, the water came up and she coughed. She felt someone patting her back and saying, “That’s it, good! Thank god!”

 

She rolled onto her back, “Just take small breaths, good, good,” the voice said again.

 

She looked at the faces surrounding her, none of whom she recognized. 

 

“You gave us quite a scare. Can you tell me your name?”

 

She scanned the group again, there was a tan, young blonde guy with striking blue eyes, wearing a lifeguard suit. A young dark-haired girl stood next to him, she had her hair arranged into twisted knots on either side of her head, also in a lifeguard suit. Jyn figured she was also a lifeguard. But neither of them was talking to her. 

 

A very large Asian man kneeling next to her, was talking and most likely the one who did CPR. He had salt and pepper colored dreadlocks with matching facial hair, his eyes dark. Next to him, a blind Asian man who somehow seemed to be looking at her. How he could see her, she didn’t know, it must be the bump on her head. 

 

“My name?” she said in a very raspy voice, “I-I can’t.”

 

“Never mind,” he said, “they called an ambulance to will check you out and make sure you’re ok.” He reached for her elbow and shoulder, “Can you sit up for me?”

 

She was stalling because her new name wasn’t coming to her. He helped her sit up. 

 

“Ww-why were you the one who… aren’t they the lifeguards?”

“I was close by, dove in and got you out. I didn’t give them a chance to do their job.” 

“It’s cool, it amazed us at how quick you responded, no worries,” the blonde guy said.

 

A crowd started to form, mostly children with their parents. Mixed in the crowd, a Latino man dressed in a wet suit, listened intently.

 

“The EMT’s are almost here,” the female lifeguard said.

Baze looked back at Jyn, “You see? All is well, how are you doing? Can you tell me your name?”

 

Jyn remembered her name, “it’s Jen.”

 

“Baze,” he offered, and reached out with his hand to help her up.

 

“I guess I should thank you, for saving my life.”

 

“It’s Chirrut you should thank, he’s the one who spotted you,” he pointed to the blind man, “he knew you were drowning, I pulled you out.”

 

Jyn looked puzzled, “But isn’t he? How is that possible?”

 

“Coming through!” the EMT’s interrupted. The crowd parted and dispersed.

 

“I’m ok really, I don’t need all of this,” Jyn resisted.

 

“You should get checked out,” Baze said as he stepped back. 

“She is fine Baze, I think she wants to go home and rest rather than have such a fuss made about her,” Chirrut interjected.

 

“Now that we’re here, we have to check you out Miss.”

The EMT kneeled down next to her and asked her questions and taking her vitals.

 

“Can you tell me your name?” the other EMT asked.

 

“Yes, it’s Jen.”

“Jen, can you tell me what day of the week it is?”

“Um, it’s Wednesday.”

 

“Do you know where you are?”

 

“Of course I do, Island Beach.”

 

“And what’s the last thing you remember?”

 

“I was having a nice swim. All of a sudden, I was underwater, and everything went black. The rest is fuzzy.”

 

“Jen, your vitals look good, but we will take you to the hospital so they can examine you, ok?”

 

“No. I don’t want to go to the hospital. Like he said, I’m fine,” she said pointing to Chirrut with her chin.

 

“I’m afraid I have to insist. It’s standard procedure when there is a near drowning,” the EMT said.

 

“I said I don’t want to go,” she panicked. She wasn’t sure who to trust, if she should call anyone or who to call.

 

“I’m sorry, you don’t have a say in the matter. Are you here alone?”

 

“I’m alone and my car is here.” It un-nerved her to give out information like that.

 

“Do you want us to call someone for you?”

 

“No, if we grab my things off of the beach, my cell phone is in my bag. I’ll call someone.”

 

“No problem.”

 

Baze stepped in at this point and offer his help. He sensed this girl must be alone in the world. “I’ll get your things; can you point me in the right direction?”

 

“Thank you,” she looked around to get her bearings, “see that blue chair? That’s mine. The things on the blanket next to it are mine as well.”

 

“Got it,” he ran over to grab everything.

 

The EMT’s put her on the stretcher and carried her off of the beach.

 

“Here’s your bag,” Baze said as he came up behind them, “Chirrut and I will follow the ambulance, and we’ll bring you back to your car after they clear you at the hospital Jen. Ok?”

 

“It will probably be hours, that’s too much to ask.”

 

“It is nothing,” Chirrut insisted, “we will feel better knowing you’re ok and taken care of.”

 

“Ok, if you insist,” Jyn felt uneasy about it but didn’t argue.

 

“We’ll be right behind you. Oh, what’s your last name, so we can find you at the hospital?” 

 

“Um, Ekland. I’m Jen Ekland.”

 

He gave her a thumbs up as they closed the doors to the ambulance. 

 

Jyn’s face could be seen through the windows as the doors closed. The Latino man caught sight of her through the ambulance window, she looked scared, he didn’t like this, why did he care if something scared her?

 

She looked up and saw him staring as the ambulance pulled away. He unzipped his wetsuit, the name Jyn peaked through the opening. One last job, that’s all, one last job, he thought. He put his surf board in his car and followed the ambulance at a distance.


End file.
